Mining and loading machine



Oct. 1, 1940. E. M. ARENTZEN MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1958 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 54/4,? M flew/725m mma, 42

A TTORNEY Oct. 1, 1940. l E. M. ARENTZEN MINING AND LOADING MACHINE 9 Sheets -Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1933 INVENTOR. 5 /42 M 4952/7254 /ma 7,4 1

ATTORNEY 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5/1/42 44. flea/r25 BY M Wh ATTORNEY E M ARENTZEN MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Flled July 1, 193B m x v/Ill M t. l, 1940.

Oct. 1, 1940. E. M. ARENTZEN 2,215,177

MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1938 9 Sh96tS-Sh6t 4 INVENTOR. v 5/144? M fiei/z/rzz/v m 2 ATTORNEY Oct], 1940. E. M. ARENTZEN MINING AND LOADING MACHINE- Filed July 1, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 06L 1, 1940. R E 2,216,177

MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 7 IN VEN TOR. [mm/e 4/.7254/2'25/1/ ATTORNEY Cut. 1, 19 40.

E. M. ARENTZEN MINING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 1, I938 e'snee ts-sheet a IN VEN TOR.

B 19/1/46 4 ABE/W754 ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1940. E. M. ARENTZEN MINING- AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 1; 1938 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 'Il/A.

INVENTOR. 5/1/45 W14 H e I Patented Oct. 1, 1940 Parr FFiCE MINING AND LOADING MACHLLNE Einar M. Arentzen, Franklin, Pa., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Joy Manufacturing Company, Franklin, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 1, 1938, Serial No. 216,987 6 Claims. (Cl. 262-28 The present invention relates to improvements in machines adapted to be self-propelling and to out, remove, convey, and load material, particularly coal or slate, in coal mining operations. The

55 general object and nature of the invention is to provide an improved construction for such machine wherein the flexibility and efiiciency of operation of the machine is greatly increased.

In mining operations, and in the cutting and 10 removal of draw slate in coal mining particularly, conditions are such that material must be cut and removed from various heights and at various angles. The presence of obstructions such as mine timbers, posts, props, pillars, etc., renders the conveying of the material from the point where it is cut to a loading point all the more difficult. In order to minimize these difficulties, the construction embodying the present invention, briefly outlined, comprises the essential elements of a self-propelled, track laying vehicle upon which there is mounted a swingable, elevatable'and tiltable cutter of the cutter bar chain type, an intermediate fixed conveyer, and an elevatable', swingable and extensible loading conveyor. 1 Individual drive motors are provided for each of the endless tracks of the vehicle, so that the latter is rendered extremely mobile and maneuver-able, permitting it to be turned and moved in cramped and difiicult quarters. The

swinging, elevating, and tilting of the cutting mechanism is accomplished through the medium of hydraulically actuated elements thus contributing to the precision and flexibility of operation of the machine. The loading conveyor and the cutting mechanism are both made swingable through maximum angles with respect to the supporting vehicle so that the range of cutting,

removingand discharging material in any given space and under any given set of conditions is practically unlimited. An adjustable extensible loading conveyor adds to the flexibility of the machine in that the discharge points of the material' from the machine is not limited to any particulararc with respect to the point of location of the supporting vehicle, but can be varied over a. wide semi-circular area, thus eliminating the necessity of spotting mine cars or the need for auxiliary conveyors.

, To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. 1 The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodyingthe invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the front end of 5 a mining and loading machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 1A is a top plan view of the rear of the loading and mining machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the cutter bar 10 and operating mechanism thereof taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View of the side elevation of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3A is a view of the side elevation of the 15 rear portion of the machine shown in Fig. l-A.

Fig. 4 is a section through the cutter bar and collecting pan taken on line IV--IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, partially in section, of the front end of the supporting vehicle, or chas- 20 sis, of the machine.

Fig. 5A is a plan view, partially in section, of the rear portion of the supporting vehicle, or chassis, of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement 25 and connection of the hydraulic actuating system of the machine.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail view of the cutter bar pan sprocket drive connection.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partially in section, 30 of the extensible loading conveyer, showing the extension in its fully retracted position.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IX-IX of Fig. 8.

General assembly 35 The general assembly of the machine is illustrated in Figs. 1, 1-A, 3 and 3--A. The major elements of the machine consist of the self-propelled track laying tractor or vehicle I upon which is mounted the forwardly extending cutting mechanism 20, the intermediate fixed conveyor 6!, the loading conveyor ll and the adjustable extension for the latter.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 1-A, and as will be subsequently described in greater detail, the cutting mechanism 20 is swingable in a horizontal plane through an are A greater than with respect to the vehicle 1; and the loading conveyor H is swingable through an 180 arc B 50 with respect to the machine.

Chassis The construction of the chassis I or self-propelled track laying supporting vehicle is best 11- 55 lustrated in Figs. 3, 3A and 5. The frame I of the vehicle carries a pair of endless tracks 2 and 2' which at the forward or right hand end of the chassis I pass over the idler pulleys 3 mounted upon the shafts 4 and 4' respectively. The rear or left hand end or turn of the tracks 2 and 2 pass around and are engaged by drive sprockets only one of which is shown, as indicated at 5. These drive sprockets are mounted upon the reduced diameter portions 6 and 6 of the rear main axle 54. The drive sprocket 5 is driven through its connection with the sprocket 1, the drive chain 6 and the sprocket 9 on the end of the drive shaft ID of the electric drive motor ll. Another drive motor II is similarly connected through the chain 8 to the drive sprocket on the shaft 6. Housings l2 and I2 enclose the drive connections from the two drive motors l I and I l respectively. A link bar or tie rod [3 extends from a motor clutch control of customary construction laterally across the chassis to a point adjacent the clutch control lever l5 (Fig. 3A) for the drive motor II. A control lever I4 is mounted upon a common shaft with the control lever l5 and connected to the tie rod I3. Thus the drive connections of the motors H and Il and correspondingly the movement of the endless tracks 2 and 2 are controllable by the operator from a single point.

Cutting mechanism The construction of the cutting mechanism and its related parts, shown in Figs. 1, 1-A, 2, 3, 3A and 4, comprises a cutter chain support or shoe 26 over which the cutter chain 2i travels. The latter carries a series of bits 22 which are progressively arranged at different angles with respect to the axis of the chain 2! (as illustrated in Fig. 2). The rear end of the cutter chain 2| passes around the drive sprocket 23 which in turn is mounted upon the shaft 24. The shaft 24 terminates in a planet gear carrier 25 upon which the planet 0r epicyclic gears 26 and 21' are mounted. The gear 26 meshes with the drive gear 39 on the drive shaft 3| of the cutter bar chain drive motor (not shown). The planet gear 2'! meshes with the fixed internal gear 28 bolted to the interior of the drive motor housing 29.

A cutter chain supporting member 32 is rotatably mounted upon the drive motor housings 29 and through the medium of the bearing 33. A take-up screw 34 threadably engages the boss or lug 35 carried by the cutter chain shoe 29 and serves as means. for regulating the tension in the cutter chain 2|.

A collecting pan or apron 36 extends on both sides and parallel to the cutter chain 2!. The collecting apron 36 is longitudinally slidable with respect to the supporting member 32. A hydraulic cylinder 31 is mounted on the outside of the supporting member 32 and its piston rod 38 is connected to the hollow boss 39 on the outer end of the collecting apron 36. The hydraulic cylinder 31 is thus operable to extend and retract the collecting apron to any desired position with respect to the cutting chain 2|. A similar cylinder 31, piston rod 38 and connecting boss 39' are provided for the collecting apron 36' on the left hand side of the machine. A guide plate 40 extends around the left hand or rear end of the collecting chain 2! and is adapted to direct material into the discharge opening defined by the discharge chute or apron 4|.

A chain 42 is located in the channel guide 33 around the outer periphery of the cutting chain support member 32. One end of the chain 42 is secured to the support member 32 by means of the anchor pin 44. The chain 42 passes around the pulley (Fig. 1) on the end of the piston rod 46 and has its other end anchored to the side bracket 48 by means of the pin 41. The hydraulic cylinder 49, in which the piston rod 46 operates, is also carried by the side bracket 48. The side bracket 48, as best shown in Fig. 4, is carried by the drive motor housing 29.

A similar chain 42', guide channel 43', anchor pin 44, pulley 45', piston rod 46, anchor pin il, side bracket 48' and hydraulic cylinder 49 are provided on the opposite or left hand side of the machine.

It will thus be seen that actuation of the hydraulic cylinders 49 and 49' operates to rotate the support member 32 with respect to the drive motor housing 29 and to thus swing the cutting mechanism in its effective operating range over a substantial arc. Hydraulic roof jacks 56 and 56' (see Figs. 1 and 3) in the side brackets 48 and 48 respectively, are also provided, so that the vehicle or chassis I might be securely anchored between the roof and floor of a mine chamber.

The drive motor housing 29 has laterally extending trunnion bearing bosses 5| and 5| which are journalled in the trunnion arms 52 and 52 respectively. The latter are pivotally mounted at one end at the bearing points 53 and 53 upon the main rear axle 54.

Hydraulic jacks 55 and 55' extend between the cross bar 56 joining the other or right hand ends of the trunnion arms 52 and 52 and the chassis frame front tie rod '51. Expansion and contraction of the hydraulic jacks 55 and 55" are thus operable to raise and lower the trunnion arms 52 and 52 and correspondingly to vary the horizontal position of the drive motor housing 29 and its associated cutter mechanism 26.

Hydraulic jacks 58 and 58' ar connected between brackets 59 attached to the upper portion of the housing 29 and the frame brackets 69. Operation of the hydraulic jacks 58 and 58' are thus operable to produce a tilting action of the housing 29 and its associated cutter mechanism 26 about the trunnion bearing points 5| and 5!. This tilting action is of course ob. tainable at different horizontal levels of the cutter mechanism.

Fixed conveyor The construction of the fixed conveyor which is adapted to transmit material from the discharge end of the cutter mechanism 20 to the feed end of the loading conveyor 12 is best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 3A. The fixed conveyor consists of a frame 6| carried by the support member 62 mounted upon the chassis I. An endless conveyor belt 63 passes over the drums 64 and 65 rotatably mounted upon either end of the frame 6!. The intermediate portion of the under-run of the belt 63 passes over the idler pulley 66 and the idler take-up pulley 61. The latter pulley by virtue of an axially displaceable and adjustable mounting, such as is well known to those skilled in the art, serves the function of adjustably regulating the tension in the belt 63. A drive pulley 68 leads from the shaft upon which the drum 65 is carried and a chain or belt drive 69 connects the drive pulley 69 to the drive motor 10.

The last described fixed conveyor is thus adapted to receive material from the discharge chute II of the cutter mechanism 20 and moonvey it to a point where it is received by the feed end of the loading conveyor.

Loading conveyor The construction of the loading conveyor is best illustrated in Figs. 1-A, 3-A and 8.

A frame 'II carries the conveyor belt I2 and is pivotally mounted at its-right hand end by means of the laterally extending bearings "I3 to the rotatable base "M. The latter is rotatably mounted upon the chassis I by means of the shaft I5. An operating lever 16 upon the rock shaft Ill serves to move the locking dog it into and out of the notches I9 in the armate plate 80. In this manner, the pivotal position of the base I4 can be looked as desired. This position will of course correspond to the position in a horizontal plane to which the loading conveyor 72 is swung in the are B.

Hydraulic tilting or elevating jacks BI and 8| are mounted between the base I4 and the bracket 82 on the loading conveyor frame II. The jacks BI and M are thus operable to elevate and lower the loading conveyor frame II, or, in other words, to tilt it about its right hand pivot bearings I3 and I3.

The conveyor belt I2 passes around the rotatable drums B2 and 03 located at each end of the frame I I. A drive sprocket 84 on the exterior end of the shaft upon which the drum 83 is mounted, is connected by means of the drive chain 85 to the drive motor 87. An enclosing and protective housing 86 surrounds the drive chain 85.

The under-run of the conveyor belt I2 passes over the idler pulley 88 and the idler take-up pulley 89, in the same manner as the fixed conveyor belt 09 hereinabove described.

Loading conveyor extension A second conveyor frame 90 is mounted parallel to, immediately beneath and longitudinally movable with respect to the conveyor frame II. The conveyor frame 90, as best illustrated in Fig. 9, bears against the rollers 9| mounted in the extension side plates 92 which are carried by and extend downwardly from the conveyor frame II. Brackets 93 mounted upon the inner or right hand end of the extension conveyor frame 90 carry the rollers or wheels 94 which are adapted to travel in a channel 94 in the side of the conveyor frame II.

A pinion gear shaft 95 is journalled in the side plates 92 and carries a gear 96 adapted to mesh with a gear rack 97 on the under side of the extension conveyor frame 90. A squared exterior end 98 on the gear shaft 95 is adapted to receive the operating crank 99. A ratchet wheel I00 is also mounted on the exterior end of the shaft 95 and adapted to be engaged by the pawl IOI. Operation of the crank 99 will thus be effective to move the frame 90 to any desired position of extension with respect to the conveyor frame II.

The frame 90 has a conveyor belt I02 carried by the drums I03 and I04 located at each of its ends. The under-run of conveyor belt I02 passes over the idler take-up drum I05, around the drive drum I99 and over the idler guide drum I01. A drive chain I08 connects the drive sprocket I99 to a driven sprocket on the shaft upon which the driving drum I06 is mounted. As will be seen in Fig. 9, the drive sprocket I09 is mounted on the end of the shaft upon which the drum 83 and the sprocket 84 are mounted. The

drive for the extension conveyor belt I02 is thus taken off of the drive for the conveyor belt I2.

I H ydmu'lic actuating mechanism The connections and arrangement for the hy- ,draulic actuating mechanism is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, it will be seen that there is a drive motor IIO mounted upon the side of the chassis frame I, which is con- 3 nected to and adapted to drive the hydraulic Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the first of the operating valves IMa is connected in parallel to the roof jacks 50 and 50, so that the latter will be operated in unison upon actuation of their particular control valve II Ia. The con- I trol valve II4b is connected in parallel to the head end and the rod end of the collector pan moving jacks 31 and 31'. The operating valve N40 is connected in parallel to the head end and the rod end of the cutting mechanism tilting jacks 58 and 58. The operating valve MM is connected in parallel to the head end only of the trunnion arm elevating jacks 55 and 55'. The weight of the trunnion arms 52 and 52' and their supported mechanism is sufficient to effect return movement of the jacks 55 and 55', so that twoway hydraulic pressure in the latter jacks is not required. The operating valve II Ie is alternatively connected to the head end of the cutter mechanism swinging jacks 49 and 49. By'reason of such alternative connection, the jacks 49 and 49' are not operated in unison, but in opposite directions with respect to each other, so that while one jack is moving to extended position, the other is moving to contracted position, and vice versa.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a mining and loading machine, the combination of a self-propelling track laying vehicle having a loading conveyor pivoted thereon for swinging movement, a cutter chain carried by said vehicle, means for elevating and lowering the operating height of said cutter chain, means for collecting material cut by said cutter chain, means for extending said collecting means longitudinally parallel to said cutter chain, means for transferring material from said collecting means to said loading conveyor, means for pivotally traversing said cutter chain in a horizontal plane about said vehicle, means for horizontally tilting said cutter chain, and hydraulically actuated power means for operating said cutter chain elevating means, said means for extending said collecting means, said cutter chain traversing means and said cutter chain tilting means and said conveyor elevating means.

2. In a mining and loading machine, the combination of a self-propelling track laying vehi- The output lin II3 from cle, a cutter chain carried by said vehicle, means for elevating and lowering the operating height of said cutter chain, means for collecting material cut by said cutter chain, means for extending said collecting means longitudinally parallel to said cutter chain, means for pivotally traversing said cutter chain in a horizontal plane about said vehicle, means for horizontally tilting said cutter chain, hydraulically actuated power means for operating said cutter chain elevating means, said means for extending said collecting means, said cutter chain traversing means, and said cutter chain tilting means, a hydraulic power source carried by said vehicle, and operating valves for controlling the application of hydraulic. power from said power source -to all of said hydraulically, actuated power means, said operating valves being mounted as an assembled unit on said vehicle.

3. In a mining and loading machine, the combination of a self-propelled track laying vehicle, a cutter chain, a drive motor connected to said cutter chain, a housing member for said drive motor, trunnions on opposite sides of said housing, a pair of trunnion arms having their rear ends pivoted to said vehicle, means intermediate the length of said arms for receiving the trunnions on said housing, adjustable means for supporting the front ends of said trunnion arms, a cutter chain carrying member rotatably mounted on said housing member, and power means for rotating said cutter chain carrying member on said housing.

4. In a mining and loading machine the combination of a self-propelled track laying vehicle having a main drive axle, trunnion arms pivotally mounted on said drive axle and extending forwardly of said machine, a housing supported on said trunnion arms, a motor within said housing, a cutter bar rotatably mounted on said housing, a cutter chain carried by said bar and driven by said motor, and expansible means connecting the forward ends of said trunnion arms to said vehicle whereby the elevation of said housing and the cutter bar carried. thereby may be readily varied.

5; In a mining and loading machine the combination of a self-propelled track laying vehicle having a drive axle, trunnion arms each having an end pivotally mounted on said drive axle, a housing carried by said trunnion arms intermediate the ends thereof, a chain-carrying cutter bar mounted on said housin and hydraulically actuated expansible means connecting the front ends of said trunnion arms to said vehicle.

6. In a mining and loading machine the combination of a self-propelled track laying vehicle having a main drive axle, trunnion arms having their rear ends pivotally mounted on said axle and extending forwardly of said machine, a motor housing supported by said trunnion arms intermediate the ends thereof, a chain-carrying cutter bar mounted for rotation on said motor housing, adjustable means for connecting the front ends of said trunnion arms to said vehicle whereby the elevation of said housing may be readily varied, and means for swinging said housing on said trunnion supporting arms to tilt the cutter bar carried thereby.

EINAR M. ARENTZEN. 

